


Kill What's Dead

by Emrys_Fae



Series: Spooky Wars [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alpha-17 murders his problems, Implied Torture, M/M, Minor Character Death, Sith Temple, or decides he's going to, sith spirits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:21:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27240388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emrys_Fae/pseuds/Emrys_Fae
Summary: No one knew what Dooku wanted, but it was easy enough to assume that no one wanted Dooku to get whatever it was. Especially when that something is held inside a Sith Temple.Obi-Wan is sent alone. Alpha-17 just invites himself along.-_-“If I had to vote on places to die, this would absolutely not make the list,” Obi-Wan muttered to himself, staring across the inconveniently placed ravine to the towering, crumbling Sith Temple on the other side.Beside him, Alpha-17 snorted. “We won’t die. Though overall, it might not be too bad, this is a right sight better than most of the places we’ve almost died.”
Relationships: Alpha-17/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Series: Spooky Wars [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985725
Comments: 21
Kudos: 294
Collections: Alpha17, Spooky Wars Week





	Kill What's Dead

**Author's Note:**

> Spooky Wars Week: Day 3 - Haunted Planet

“If I had to vote on places to die, this would absolutely not make the list,” Obi-Wan muttered to himself, staring across the inconveniently placed ravine to the towering, crumbling Sith Temple on the other side.

Beside him, Alpha-17 snorted. “We won’t die. Though, overall, it might not be too bad. This is a right sight better than most of the places we’ve almost died.”

Obi-Wan considered that, but given that Jabiim and Rattatak were included on that list, he had to admit Alpha-17 was right. “I’ll do my best to spice up our almost-deaths with some more variety. There’s a nice moon in the mid rim that was actually rather pleasant, even if I somehow managed to contract an experimental virus there.” More accurately he’d been dosed with an experimental virus by someone that had something of a grudge against both the Jedi and the Peace Talks he’d been there to help negotiate. “Very pleasant scenery to accompany the bleeding eyes.”

Obi-Wan couldn’t see it from behind Alpha-17’s helmet, but he knew his Commander was giving him an unimpressed look. “Don’t strain yourself. I’m pretty sure the war will provide plenty of variety all on it’s own.”

Obi-Wan acceded the point, eyes still on the Sith Temple across the ravine.

Ominous, he decided, would be a good description, particularly with the way the black stone seemed to absorb the light around it. The whole planet reeked of darkness, but the Temple seemed to be a nexus point for it.

It wasn’t as bad as Zigoola—Obi-Wan shivered at the memory—no, this temple felt almost… _dormant_ in comparison. Which, Obi-Wan noted grimly, might mean it just needed to be woken up.

Obi-Wan spared a moment to be grateful that Anakin was back on Coruscant still, preparing for his final Trials. While the war might be rushing his Knighthood forward, the Council still wanted to give at least some small semblance of normal tradition.

No, it was just him, sent here due to the Senate’s concerns about reports of Dooku’s interest in the place. No one knew what Dooku wanted, but it was easy enough to assume that no one wanted Dooku to get whatever it was.

Alpha-17 wasn’t even supposed to be here, was supposed to be back on the Negotiator, though Alpha-17’s response when he’d said as much had been to quote obscure regulations at him, some that Obi-Wan wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that Alpha was completely making up.

Obi-Wan knew Alpha-17 well enough at that point to just allow him to do whatever he pleased. If he appreciated having Alpha at his side, appreciated having someone he trusted entirely to depend on… well, it was a pleasant side effect.

“That the objective?”

Obi-Wan shrugged. “More likely there’s something within the Temple. Though determining what it is, getting to it without dying, and then getting it back to Coruscant will be far easier said than done.” He sent Alpha-17 a dry smile. “Especially if the building decides it wants to try and kill us.”

Alpha-17 was not impressed. “You’re the only person I know that would have even _buildings_ trying to kill them.”

“That’s hardly fair,” Obi-Wan protested. “Sith Temples would try and kill _any_ Jedi that crossed their path.”

Alpha-17 was silent in the way that meant he was calling Obi-Wan’s words into doubt. Which Obi-Wan thought was highly unfair, he might have run into trouble, every now and then, but he was hardly the Dark Side magnet that his Commander seemed to think he was.

It certainly wasn’t opportune, but Obi-Wan supposed this was a good as opportunity as ever to prove Alpha wrong. He really didn’t get the opportunity often enough.

-_-

One of these days, Alpha-17 was going to get a chance to take out Dooku, and one way or another, he was going to blast several holes into the Separatist bastard.

Now, unfortunately, did not seem to be the right moment for that. At least not if the way his General had placed a restraining hand on his arm, flashing a quick signal for _danger_ and _stand down_.

Dooku turned from where he was observing a glowing red triangle settled on a crumbling altar. “Ah, General Kenobi, how wonderful to see you here, an absolute surprise.”

Alpha-17 narrowed his eyes, because that sounded quite distinctly like it wasn’t a surprise at all. Which, unfortunately, seemed to be something of a running trend. The Republic had any number of information leaks, and his General’s whereabouts often seemed to find their way to Separatist ears. At least if the number of traps that were set specifically for his General was any indication.

His General stepped forward and slightly to the side, fingers flashing in signal as he went. “Unfortunately, I can’t share the sentiment, as it’s neither a surprise nor wonderful to see you here.”

Alpha-17 started moving carefully around in the other direction, moving in a pincer formation.

The Count sent a dismissive look in his direction, before focusing back on Alpha-17’s General.

“Very foolish of you to follow me in here, Master Kenobi, _especially_ marked as you are.”

Alpha-17 frowned at that, eyes darting to take in his General whose only sign of confusion was the tiniest quirk of his eyebrow.“Marked?” His General asked, voice perfectly conversational.

“Oh yes, _someone_ quite desperately wants you out of the way.” Alpha-17 frowned at the further proof that his General was being specifically targeted. “You should be honored, I suppose, that they’ve decided to go to such efforts. They must see you as a threat.”

“And you’re the pawn they’re using to get rid of me?”

The Count’s nostrils flared, eyes narrowing in anger. “I’m no one’s pawn. But you’ve been a thorn in my side long enough.”

The Count snatched the red pyramid from the altar, a cacophony of harsh syllables falling from his lips.

Alpha-17 raised his blaster as his General jumped towards the Count, lightsaber in hand.

He didn’t even get out a shot before _something_ was hitting him, throwing him back and everything went black.

-_-

Darkness, Obi-Wan had learned, had depth, had weight.

 _This_ darkness. This darkness was a heavy fog against his skin, blinding him, swallowing him.

Ice slid down his back and Obi-Wan froze.

He could feel Zigoola again, deep in his bones, coursing through his blood. The imprint of it forever in his soul.

The Temple was waking up.

-_-

_It was not the first time that someone had tried to waken them. But blood sacrifices and weakened prey were hardly worth stirring for, and they’d ignored the pathetic creatures who’d thought they could garner their attention._

_This time, however, when they stirred from their rest to see what paltry offering had been left to them…_

_This was no pathetic blood sacrifice, no weakened prey. This was a burning light in the dark, a warrior that had faced their sibling temple and come out victorious, though he bore their scars._

_There were two other presences, a creature of shadow that thought itself dark, and a warrior so empty of the Force as to be worth no consideration._

_They reached out, hungry, starving. The shadow and star both recognized their touch, the star flashing, a tendril of light snaking out to catch at the empty warrior, bringing it under their light._

_The shadow hissed a command._

_They hissed at the shadow creature, furious. How dare this shadow creature think they could order THEM._

_They would teach this shadow creature what it meant to face true darkness._

-_-

Dooku _screamed_ , Obi-Wan could sense the darkness tearing at the Sith, pain and fear filling the room.

 _Die, die, die_.

The Sith spirits—he’d felt them, a tumultuous cacophony of identities that had been trapped so long they’d been morphed into one—were distracted, tearing into Dooku, ripping at his very presence.

They’d kill him.

Dooku was his enemy, but that didn’t mean Obi-Wan wanted to leave him to the tender mercies of blood-thirsty Sith spirits. But if he was going to save Alpha-17, there was nothing Obi-Wan could do about Dooku.

The moment the darkness had erupted, Obi-Wan had dragged Alpha-17 under his shields; now, he sent a warning to his Commander as he darted across the room.

Alpha-17 must have understood the warning, because when Obi-Wan reached him, he moved easily under Obi-Wan’s hand, following his steps in perfect sync.

They had to get out of here, had to get out of here while the Sith spirits were busy with Dooku.

The Darkness was making it harder to function, like he was trying to crack his way out of ice, stuck in complete blindness.

At some point as they darted through pitch black hallways, Alpha-17 took the lead. Obi-Wan let him, keeping their hands entwined so they wouldn’t lose each other in the dark.

The malevolence that was the Sith Spirits was bearing down on them.

They wouldn’t make it out, Obi-Wan realized grimly.

At least he wouldn’t.

He stole a single second to tighten his grip on Alpha-17’s, to remember.

He wrenched his hand from Alpha’s, before _pushing_ with the Force. For a moment he felt Alpha’s shock, before it turned into stark determination.

“Get back to the Negotiator, Alpha! Now!”

The Sith descended.

-_-

Alpha-17 gripped his blaster, gritting his teeth as he stalked forward. Thankfully the strange dark mist that had encompassed the Temple had faded, meaning he could move quickly.

Between painedscreams, he could hear his General taunting the _things_ that Dooku had woken up, because of _course_ his General thought that was the best option.

But then, his General had _also_ thought it was a good idea to try andsacrifice himself to buy Alpha-17 time to get out of here and then actually expected Alpha to _leave_ him.

But then, even his General was allowed to be wrong now and then.

Alpha-17 had no idea how one destroyed whatever these were—they were Sith _something,_ which even if they weren’t torturing his General would be a clear enough sign that they needed destroying—but he figured that when all else failed, explosions were the way to go.

And since he didn’t have time to _try_ anything else—not when his General was screaming in ways he hadn’t even screamed on Rattatak—then explosions were the way to go.

He’d already laid several detonators around the base of the pyramid, putting more explosives in locations that had had fancy runes in hopes that those were important. Whatever these Sith things were, they didn’t seem to consider Alpha-17 enough of a threat to pay any attention to. Which, Alpha-17 thought grimly, would be their last mistake.

He didn’t care what he had to do, they’d touched _his_ General, he _would_ eliminate them, hunt them down, destroy them.

 _No one and nothing_ got to touch his General.

Now, Alpha-17 just had to get to his General.

Something soft brushed against his mind, _warmth_ and _care_ and _protect, protect, protect_ , along with the faint impression of an order to _leave_.

Alpha-17 focused as hard as he could on the impression of him beside his General. Of the two of them out of here.

Another faint demand, though Alpha-17 could also sense his General’s resignation, as though he knew that Alpha wouldn’t listen.

Alpha focused as hard as he could, _coming General._

Another crush of emotion: _exasperated_ , _tender_ , _fear_ , _love, love, love_.

The sensation of his General disappeared; hopefully that meant his General was focusing on protecting himself again.

Though the taunt of ‘I’ve felt failed acolyte’s do better’ meant that his General was goingabout protecting himself all wrong.

He made it to the same room this had all started, his General was sprawled on his back on the Altar, his head thrown back and limbs spread like he was a sacrifice.

The red pyramid Dooku—whose broken body was crumpled at the foot of the altar—had been using had found it’s way to his chest, glowing and pulsing in strange bursts.

His General turned his head a little, bloodshot eyes meeting Alpha’s.

Alpha felt his heart clench, because in less than an hour, they’d torn his General apart, blood dripping from his mouth, his nose, gashes along his cheeks.

He moved his blaster up, taking aim.

Alpha-17 had always been a near perfect shot. The pyramid went flying from his General’s chest, crashing into the wall.

Alpha didn’t waste a moment, darting towards his General while simultaneously sending the signal to the detonators.

The room started shaking, his General rolled from the altar; Alpha slid to his knees just in time to catch him before he hit the ground.

“General, _General_.”

Obi-Wan groaned, clutching at Alpha. “We need— need to get out, while they’re distracted.”

Alpha nodded, pulling his General into his arms. “Hate to ask it, General, but can you keep the ceiling from falling in on us?”

His General managed something that might have been a smile. “Just a few rocks, how hard can it be?”

Alpha-17 didn’t answer that, just hefted his General up and _ran_.

-_-

_The nothing warrior had surprised them. Attacking them with weapons as though they were mere mortals._

_Still, their Temple was their being, and they’d been distracted._

_Too distracted, as the nothing warrior made off with their feast, their star, their beautiful sacrifice._

_They scoured the traces of their star, picking at the darkness that had marked him. The shadow being was dead, but he was not the only shadow that had touched their star, this second shadow would hear them, would bring their star back to them._

_Nothing escaped them, not forever. They’d have their star again._

-_-

Obi-Wan woke with a start, cold whispers against the back of his neck.

Alpha-17 had gotten him into bacta immediately, healing almost the entirety of the damage.

Obi-Wan hadn’t been able to explain—hadn’t been ready to try—to either him or the medics that the outside damage, while extensive, was nothing compared to the psychic damage the Sith spirits had left behind.

It was going to be Zigoola and Rattatak all over.

The nightmares, the whispers from things that weren’t there, the sensation of shadows clinging to his back.

He rubbed at his face, shuddering.

“You ever try to get me to abandon you, ever again, and I’m transferring.”

Obi-Wan startled, nearly falling off the bed. Alpha-17 was sitting in a chair beside his bed, gaze sharp and demanding.

“ _Alpha_.” His Commander’s name came out far more fervent than he’d intended to let it. “You’re all right.”

Alpha-17’s gaze softened a little, though Obi-Wan knew Alpha would never admit it. “I am, but you’re not, and if you ever do that again—”

Obi-Wan interrupted, making his voice as hard as he could. “Alpha, they’d have killed you. That was unacceptable.”

“Except, they _hurt_ you.”

Obi-Wan shrugged, because he’d know what he’d chosen, had known it when he made that choice. “You would have been nothing to them, Alpha, nothing but a quick kill. They wanted to…” he held back a choked noise. “They wanted to take their time with me.”

Alpha moved closer, hand brushing against Obi-Wan’s, the touch so soft Obi-Wan almost didn’t feel it. “I’m going to figure out how to destroy them, Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. “Their immortal Sith spirits, Alpha, I don’t think—”

“They hurt you, General. I won’t let that happen.”

Obi-Wan swallowed, because for all that the words were measured and even, Alpha’s emotions completely still, there was a wealth of meaning that Obi-Wan couldn’t deny. He met Alpha’s eyes. “I know.” He brushed his hand against Alpha’s, again and again, until Alpha intertwined their fingers.

Alpha glanced down at their intwined fingers, a mix of fond exasperation crossing his face.

“Thank you for saving me,” Obi-Wan whispered. “Thank you for coming back.”

Alpha-17 met his eyes. “Nothing in this galaxy would be enough to keep me from coming for you.” He hesitated for a moment. “And thank you for saving me, as well. Don’t ever do that again.”

Obi-Wan couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him.

Because of _course_ he’d save Alpha again if the option arose. He always would.

-_-

The Temple wasn’t destroyed, Alpha-17 knew. It’d been enough to distract the Sith spirits that’d been hurting this General, but they weren’t gone.

Alpha-17 had seen too many Dark and Fallen cross his General’s path once and then grow obsessed with him to trust that these spirits would be any different.

Which meant that Alpha-17 would have to learn how to kill something that was already dead.

It also meant that Alpha had to find whoever it was that had ‘marked’ his General, sending him into the trap.

Because they’d failed once, that just meant they’d try again.

That was all right, Alpha-17 would just have to kill them too.


End file.
